Gerry Adams, Sinn Féin cannot deliver on Trimble's decommissioning demands
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Not encouraged by meeting with Adams
Sinn Féin and the Ulster Unionists have clashed after the latest meeting between the parties on the issue of decommissioning. The North's First Minister, David Trimble, accused the party of not delivering on optimistic signals it made in Washington. But Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams said Unionists did not want to know when it tried to discuss how the next phase of discussions might be handled.
Speaking in the Dáil today, the Taoiseach said he was not any more confident about the prospects for IRA decommissioning following a meeting with Sinn Féin President, Gerry Adams at Dublin Airport this morning. Mr Ahern made his remarks this afternoon when he was asked by the Labour leader Ruairí Quinn if he believed Mr Adams could deliver decommissioning by the IRA in the event of an executive being set up. The Taoiseach replied that while he would like to be able to answer in the affirmative, he would be misleading the House if he were to say he was any more confident about the matter after this morning's meeting.
The Sinn Fein leader met the Taoiseach at Dublin Airport for 50 minutes this morning. Following the meeting, Gerry Adams said he believed the Northern Ireland Secretary would authorise the transfer of powers to the Northern Assembly next week. Mr Adams also repeated his claim that the Sinn Féin leadership cannot deliver on the decommissioning demands made by the Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble. Mr Adams said that on balance he believes the Northern Secretary will trigger the transfer of powers to the North next week and that all parties will have to face up to their responsibilities.
The head of the Decommissioning Body, General John de Chastelain, held talks with Sinn Féin today to see how progress can be made towards the handover of paramilitary weapons. The talks were part of a series of meetings General de Chastelain is having with all the political parties in the North. He also met an SDLP delegation led by John Hume and deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon and members of the Alliance party in Belfast. Alliance party leader Sean Neeson said it was his firm belief that the General and his colleagues had a crucial role to play in helping the peace process to move forward.
